The Bright Future of mRNA Vaccines

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have helped accelerate development and field testing; that said, RNA science was amid a multi-decade development program when COVID-19 started to spread rapidly. The regulatory process for getting a drug or vaccine approved typically takes many years; however, in the case of COVID-19, we went from a genetic sequence to a conditionally approved vaccine in under one year – in a word: unprecedented.

Not only did the response to COVID-19 allow us all to witness the rare event of science unfolding at an accelerated pace, it also allowed scientists and the industry as a whole to learn. We are already starting to see the knowledge gained reflected in new processes; we now know we can move from the research lab to in-field application in an incredibly short amount of time. And let’s not forget the follow-on funding dynamics that come from that acceleration. Now that the potential of mRNA has been demonstrated, investors have jumped in, financed the field, and are pursuing specific applications, whether for the flu, RSV, infectious disease, or even cancer.

Big budgets, big projects

The US government has often led the way in supporting groundbreaking technologies and has even initiated development in areas where there was not yet enough clarity for commercial parties to put capital to work. When those technologies are proven effective, you often see commercial entities come in with funds to advance the technology further.

For example, Georgia Tech, Yale, and Emory University biomedical engineers have just been awarded funding from a new federal agency for a US$24.8 million project studying the application of mRNA technology in cancer and infectious disease (1). They are looking at using mRNA and new understanding of dendritic cells as a means for triggering selective immunological responses. The initiative is promising – and it is exciting to see researchers combining what we have learned about RNA technology with other approaches to leveraging genomic science in search of a more potent effect against various diseases. Cancer is clearly in their sights, but it is great to hear that they are applying these approaches to infectious disease and that the world continues to strengthen its pandemic preparedness.

Preparedness is a topic that gets a lot of attention when you are in the midst of a pandemic, but it tends to fade out of focus when it subsides; everybody goes back to their day jobs and somewhat forgets it ever happened. But it is critical for institutions and governments to keep pandemic preparedness at the forefront – taking active steps to ensure we can react as quickly as possible to future threats.

Optimism despite teething problems 

Although the opportunities to combine RNA science with other genomic approaches for developing medicines are exciting, there are still many accessibility gaps – especially when it comes to reaching the developing world. Increasing the stability of the product and reducing the need to preserve the product at sub-zero temperatures is a huge opportunity that directly addresses distribution and storage complications to everyone’s benefit.

Another challenge for researchers will be identifying how to deliver the RNA to the right spot in the body, which may involve different forms of encapsulation – whether that may be lipid nanoparticles, other peptide-based approaches, or new innovations. The landscape is rapidly shifting – and we will witness many emerging technologies able to streamline bioprocessing to keep up with the demand for these crucial, new therapeutics.

In the very short term, we are watching the process of adaptation to new SARS-CoV-2 variants unfold. Soon after, we will begin to see mRNA’s ability to address other infectious diseases, such as the flu and RSV. It is also likely that we’ll see combination vaccines allowing the management of several respiratory diseases in one administration. Moreover, we may see some of these other indications advance – whether it be the other viral diseases currently in clinical trials or indications for bacterial infections. Cancer trials for mRNA technology will also continue to move forward, which will be incredibly exciting for patients and their families.

In short, we are going to see a sustained effort to refine mRNA technology. Scientists experimenting with self-amplifying RNA through innovative capping technology is a great example of how refining the technology will influence the industry at large. The combination of RNA technology with CRISPR or other forms of gene editing will also be a major focus for the future – demonstrating the power in taking what we have learned about RNA and combining it with advances in other approaches.